2027: Jonathan Must Face PDP Primaries, No Automatic Ticket Says Gbenga Hashim Group

A political group says Goodluck Jonathan will not get an automatic PDP ticket for 2027.

They insist party delegates will choose the presidential candidate through a fair convention.

The Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM) has said former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot expect an automatic pass to become the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in 2027.

Responding to comments attributed to Professor Jerry Gana on Jonathan’s potential return to the PDP platform, GHSM’s National Coordinator Abdulrazaq Hamzat stated that the party’s nominee will be chosen strictly through a transparent convention process in line with the Electoral Act 2022.

Hamzat explained that while party leaders may have their preferences, only accredited delegates at the PDP national convention have the authority to decide the flagbearer. He added that the final outcome would be determined through due process and the will of the people rather than by a few influential figures.

He further argued that Nigerians are seeking progress and fresh ideas, not a revival of what he described as outdated leadership. According to him, Jonathan’s years in power were marred by increasing ethnic and religious tensions, a legacy that has since worsened under successive administrations.

On foreign affairs, Hamzat criticized Nigeria’s 2011 decision under Jonathan to support NATO’s military intervention in Libya, describing it as a serious misstep that destabilized the Sahel and contributed to insecurity in countries such as Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso.

Hamzat also raised issues about corruption allegations during Jonathan’s administration, including the controversial arms procurement scandal, saying the former president still faces public scrutiny on those matters.

He emphasized that the PDP remains a democratic institution where no one, including former leaders, should anticipate automatic endorsement. If Jonathan wishes to return to power, Hamzat said, he must be prepared to compete against other aspirants like Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim under fair and open conditions.

The GHSM leader concluded by saying Nigerians are calling for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision to address the country’s challenges, stressing that the way forward lies in moving ahead rather than going back.